BODYCOMBAT 44, BODYPUMP 74 & BODYATTACK 69 local releases

Apologies for the lack of posting over the past few days guys – been flat out with local releases here for BODYCOMBAT 44, BODYPUMP 74 & BODYATTACK 69 (plus now being GFM makes it even busier). Every release has been jammed packed and totally gone off! I’ve taught BC44 in its entirety five times now (plus participated in workshop and filming classes of course) so I’m in a fairly decent enough position to review it – which will be my next post. All up BA69 and BP74 have been met with fantastic reception, reponse to BC44 to be honest has been mixed – in fact one of my regulars even asked me if we “have” to do this release for the full two weeks or if we could mix earlier – I’ve launched nine successive BODYCOMBAT releases now (since BC37) and that is absolutely the first time I’ve ever had that reaction. But more on that later!

In the interim a picture tells a thousand words so here’s so pics from our releases – note to coincide with BODYSTEP 80 we themed every release “80’s aerobics style” so if you’re wondering about the crazy outfits now you know! There’s TONNES more pics on facebook so if you haven’t already please add me… (warning these pics have pretty outrageous costumes – I based myself on Richard Simmons; looking back the 80’s were tragic!!)

Glen Glen Glen……..Richard Simmons (and all the ladies reading Im sure) would NOT be impressed with how LONG your shorts are at each release! Lose at least four inches off the shortest ones for Step OK! Otherwise, dare I say it……80s costume FAIL ;0)

At the gyms I’ve gone to there’s been mostly positive reaction to the release. And a lot of WTF at Track 9…Although I’m not entirely sure the two moves are being coached properly (due to time restraints :S)

And a lot of mistimed fist pumping in Track 8 😉

LMAP released PPCA-free covers for this release for each program. They’re being received with an open mind…that’s all I’ll say about it 😉

I had a head cold on the day of our launch so didn’t go (waaa) but did go on Thursday.

I must say BC 44 has some really good elements but also some (speaking for myself) bad elements or more like ‘wtf that’s a bit hard for me to do’ moments.

Due to bad knees I couldn’t do track 2 which is fair enough.. so I just jogged a bit. Track 6 was a giggle especially at the beginning with all the combatants struggling to keep upright hehehe.. I could do one side but not the other (dang sciatica)..it went well though..

Track 9 was interesting – that komodo dragon move left a lot of us looking like this —> – I just did pushups like some others. The triangle hold was ok to do though..

LOVED the music of the pre – totally covered LM music (our instructor hadn’t received the new cd yet), especially ‘Nessun dorma’ and ‘paint it black’… track 3 and ‘metal combat’ …meh.

One comment I heard which I sorta tend to agree with is;
“wow body combat is getting a bit elite isn’t it?’ meaning that this person felt it was aimed at more ‘athletic’ people …not the average everyday person who tends to fill the rooms. Most of us are mums who can’t do one armed pushups haha… you know what I mean.. I think some felt a little daunted by some of the new moves. I know I did but that’s me – miss 47 yrs old overweight middle aged woman who’s got bad knees and sciatica blah blah..

Even I am feeling a little intimidated and it’s given me more of a ‘gotta go to bodycombat but I’m kinda dreading it’ feeling..

Ohhhhhh guys we are going to get our Quarterly training for BC44 by Dan and Rachel in Athens Super Quarterly and your comments have put me into thoughts…..BC IS for some reason becoming harder and harder for newcomers to get into it…..The trick is to always have a back up Easy Mix I like to call it just in case you are with a lot of newcomers and I am sure they would not come back with so much intimidation over the moves…..
I will post my reactions after the Quarterly…..

Glen, I commented on your BC 43 review about how I was skipping that release of BC because of it’s (ahem) “new” moves, which to be quite frank are super-camp.

I hope 44 is better. Tell me it’s better, PLEASE!!! 🙂

If 44 is camper than its predecessor or full of daft moves I’m going to quit BC for good and go to boxfit classes, which is a damn shame (for me) as I like doing elbows, kicks and jumping knees.

Why can’t Dan and Rachel just go back to the tried and tested kicks and punches instead of sword-swinging, shoots that aren’t done proper, and other cringe-inducing moves? Do they not realise how embarassing it is for a man to be pretend sword-swinging in a glass-windowed gym hall where all your mates can see you? 🙂

i just wounder, in the coaching compendium you get on the Body combat education it says that you according to Les Mills has to teach every release 6-8 weeks before you mixes it by yourself. And I think that you miss alot if you change to early. The first times the participants can´t get the most of the class. We do every release in 3 months and we use to do something extra in the end. Like a mix with only boxing tracks or someting…the participants likes it and they can really get the most of the releases. And you can always challenge them more and more and more…they grow when they know the coreogrophy and can challenge themselves every time.

What do you think of that? I´m from sweden, do Les mills have other rules for NZ? (refering to the 6-8 weeks rule)

In NZ we are given the guidelines of 2-4 weeks before mixing – but there are no hard rules. Bear in mind that we have 5 combats per week at our gym and some of my members come to every one. So thats a lot of the same mix spread over a month! I usually mix after 3, which means some of my members would’ve done 44 15 times.

Scott I far preferred 43 over 44 – I think everyone I’ve spoken to does. Whilst I’m normally not a fan of “sword moves” it worked in 43. 44 doesn’t have any tracks like that really – though track 6 is kinda different.

I’ll get my review written this week – been a bit hectic – I’m teaching BC44 three times today alone so I’m in a pretty good position to review it now!

I have to say after 2 weeks of 44, it is definitely growing on me. I thought meh at first especially track 6 but the tune is so damn uplifting & plus we’re all getting better at it!
I find it interesting that there aren’t many moves to this, its pretty basic; hook, upper combo feels natural.
My current favourite- Muay Thai for sure. Love to see the downward elbow back!!! Track 8 is pretty good too- just when u think you’re shoulders r going to drop off, there’s more!!!
What I have noticed is from the word go there is a lot of cardio- I mean shuffle, scissors in upper body warmup? whats that about? Saying that I do like this release, better then at the launch.
I know what Annie is talking about tho, it is harder but not as hard as the old releases. Mmmm modified komodo, alligator or whatever that push up thing is is just nasty but I think push ups r nasty!
We’ve had a lot of newbies but youngens in the classes of late and a couple have commented on how fit u have to be to get through the class but they’ve taken up the challenge, probably motivating enough to see me jiggling around having a ball! I must say those shoots whichever way u do it r killers for knees & achilles problems!
I’m more hacked off that we get PPCA free stuff which just sucks and it means when it does get mixed up my fave tracks will never come back! 😦 I’m just trying very hard to forget about the past releases!
Anyway I think unlike other releases I’ve done, 44 is one that grows on u as time goes by. Not really “wow factor” for me.

Wow wow wow, excellent posts and colourful pics…you said the wig did not stay for too long meaning it fell off ha ha or you threw it away or your fans asked for a change…especially a funny wig may not last for long..great showmanship honestly.!

It took a while for me to really like BC44…initially track 3, 6, 7 and 8 got me pretty excited as the songs were really good and uplifting!! And it really did! Track 8 is one of the amazing track ever I guess, stands high up there with BC43 and BC37! Love the Mortal Kombat Muay Thai, the track was full power and intensity, although i must say the intensity can only be felt towards the end (the double double :))..love the jumping dropping elbow though! …started to like the energy in track 2 (cool moves honestly..initially did not like the noisy music)..same goes to track 5..(the chorrey really kicks in with the noisy music….) cool warmup track!..i felt the cooldown was not really great though…Alicia Key’s song is nice but i felt it’s not fitting for BC…